


Please (I can’t)

by TheLast1nsStanding



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Death, Eret is being Tommy’s older brother, Gen, Heavy Angst, Hurt, Hurt No Comfort, I didn’t write a death scene or last words, Lots of Crying, Major Character Injury, Major character death - Freeform, Or at least heavily implied character death, Skipping around POV, i don’t write that, no romantic relationships, thats private, you can’t stop me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:13:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27036241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLast1nsStanding/pseuds/TheLast1nsStanding
Summary: Wilbur wants to blow up the festival. Tommy can’t let that happen. Tubbo is terrified of what might happen. Dream is being manipulative. And Eret is just hoping everybody is okay. Fun Fact! They’re not.————DREAMTEAM SMP FESTIVAL AUHey! This is my take of what’s going to happen at the festival tomorrow! It switches POVs a lot, so WARNING!
Relationships: Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Eret & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), No Romantic Relationship(s), Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit, Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit
Comments: 6
Kudos: 142





	Please (I can’t)

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! It’s Shy! This is my longest work yet! I’m very proud of it and I would like some criticism. Yes, I know I’m procrastinating on the Dark Side!Au and I’m sorry, I’ll have whatever part is next,- sixteen, I think?- out this weekend. I’m also doing a rewrite of World Burn. It’ll be longer and also much better written. I’m going to have Last post it as the second chapter of World Burn and not take down the original, so you can still enjoy it! Also, if you can’t tell, Rule the World is a prequel to World Burn, although it can be read as a stand alone fic. Sorry for this lengthy AN, I thought that you guys needed an update!
> 
> -Shy
> 
> Note: 
> 
> Hey! This one, like I mentioned before, is the longest yet. It took seven pages, 2,651 words, a phone and many hours of me writing to complete this one. I’d love for you to drop a comment and tell me how to improve, but if you’re shy like me, don’t worry! I still love you! I don’t expect you too and you don’t have too!

The festival was a beautiful thing.

It was a celebration full of light and laughter, of joy and peace. People from all over would come to see it and be with the people of Manberg and the surrounding groups and cities. But out of all of these people, a tall man stood in the shadows of a stall. He was out of place and alone, dressed in a dark brown trench coat and a matching beanie. Most of his curly brown hair was tucked under the beanie, but some of it was arranged over his left eye. Nobody noticed or payed attention to him. 

If one had looked at him though or if they thought about talking to the apparent stranger in the shadows, they wouldn’t stay long, even if they did realize who it was. The crazed smile and the insane glint in his eyes would scare off anyone. Even his former friends, allies, whoever they were to him, would be afraid. He was waiting for something to happen. Something that made the glint in his brown eyes turn dangerous.

The tall stranger watched everything that was going on for a while longer before people to gather. The civilians were waiting for the announcements and speeches to start. This was apparently his queue to move too. But instead of gathering like the others, he slipped away. Disappearing like he was never there in the first place.

Wilbur was trying to withhold his sadistic laughter as he vanished from his former country.

They had no idea what was coming for them.

————

The hooves of the fine Arabian horse pounded against the ground.

He was hoping he made it in time.

Racing, rushing, run.

His heart was pounding in his chest, like a bird trapped in a fine cage of bone and blood.

He wasn’t going to make it.

Darting, drumming, dash.

How could he! How could Wilbur! He couldn’t blow it up! He couldn’t hurt their friends!

Blaring, blasting, boom.

————

He was ready for this.

A tall masked man stood on the edge of the crowd, his smirk hidden under his mask. With him stood a trio of men- one with a slightly dirty, formerly snow white, headband, one clothed in black and red and the final in a blue hoodie with the hood drawn up. Normally, another would stand by them, smiling widely, with a pair of white googles balanced on his head. But now he stood on the stage. A stage that was heavily rigged with TNT. A stage that would be blowing up soon.

Oh, he had tried to warn George. He really had.

But his former best friend hadn’t even had said hello. The most he had gotten from him was a tilt of his head. He had been the one to help George get on that stage and he was ignored. That had angered the green-clothed man a lot. So, he had decided that George and the rest deserved everything that was coming for them. That they would go down with the ship. The ship that they had created when they threw Tommy and Wilbur out.

A ship that had made it so much easier to get Wilbur to play into his hand. Wilbur who had been a strong president and general. That left only poor Tommy who had challenged him to a duel for Manberg’s freedom. Tommy who was the only person between him and his goal. Tommy who would follow Wilbur into the void if he had to.

He won that duel all those months. He fought L’manberg before it became Manberg. He knew how to hold on to a grudge. He knew how to manipulate people.

Manberg was going to fall and Dream was going to swoop in and demolish the ashes.

————

He couldn’t do this.

The boy, dressed in a suit much like the rest of them, stood at the back of the stage. His face was tired and pale and there were deep and dark bags underneath his once hopeful brown eyes. There was nothing he could do now; the plan was almost ready, but he didn’t want to do this anymore. He wanted to laugh and live and love and just thrive. He wanted to be hang out with his best friend.

He wanted-

He wanted-

He wanted-

He wanted to go home again.

He wanted to sit on the bench looking out at the lands. To listen to the disks that had been so fought over. To smile.

His hand, pale and small, was fiddling with the crimson rope that was tied way too tightly around his neck. A familiar voice,- sweet as honey, once, but now as bitter as poison,- called his name. It was a reminder about what was going to happen. He wasn’t in control anymore. He was alone and afraid.

Tubbo was alone in enemy territory.

And he couldn’t tell who the enemy was.

————

As the speeches began, there was a thunderous noise across the open landscape. Hooves of a beautiful brown horse with a teenage in a red and white shirt crouched upon it’s back. Jschlatt and the many on stage didn’t notice. But someone in the crowd did. A dark haired man with a dark pair of sunglasses and a silver crown. He would normally wear a scarlet and white robe as well, but had apparently opted for just the black pants and the tucked-in, white, long sleeve shirt. He didn’t look as regal as normal, of course.

He heard the horse and it’s rider’s rapid approach to the festival and turned to look at what is was. There was a second’s pause before his dark eyes widened under the glasses and his breath hitched from shock. He wouldn’t have recognized the teenager if he hadn’t been wearing that shirt. The boy was thinner than he used to be,- before, he had been tall and lean, but now he just wiry and fragile,- with hollow cheeks and eyes.

“Tommy?”

His voice was just as shocked as the expression on his face. The teenager slid off the horse, letting the reins fall loose over it’s neck as he dropped to the ground. There was another pause in the conversation before Tommy wobbled slightly, loosing this balance. The dark haired man,- who had been moving forward to talk to him,- quickly darted forward to been him, wrapping an arm around the tall teen’s shoulders to stabilize him. 

He got a better look at Tommy now, who hadn’t realized who was stabilizing him let. The teen would probably pull away when he did. There were tired tear tracks on his cheeks and his knuckles were bruised and bloody. He could feel his spine from where his arm was curled around Tommy’s shoulders. What had happened to him? “Eret? Have you see Wilbur?” Tommy was breathing heavily, and parts of his shirt were stick with sweat. He didn’t pull away from Eret, surprisingly. He seemed more desperate to find Wilbur, which confused the king. Why would Wilbur be here?

“What do you mean? Why would he be here, of all places? He’s not allowed on,” Here, Eret winced as he said the new name. He never could get used to it. “Manberg territory. And neither are you, for a fact.” He raised an eyebrow at the teenager, curious of why he seemed so desperate.

“Because he’s lost it, Eret! He’s lost it!” The cry,- which, like the rest of their conversation, was covered by the festival noises,- rung out as Tommy’s breath sped up. Eret was alarmed by the sudden cry and his voice shook slightly as he responded. He could guess why Tommy was so panicked, but he wanted to know what Wilbur was going to do.

“W-what do you mean?”

“He’s trying to blow it up! He’s going to level Manberg to the ground!”

————

“Step away from the bomb.”

A laugh,- a cold thing that sent a chill down his spine,- echoed from the shadows as Wilbur stepped out of them and towards Tommy. The dark trench coat fluttered around his ankles as the taller man walked towards him. It was a very imposing silhouette, or it would be, if Tommy didn’t know who it was. Still though, Wilbur was scaring him now,- not that he would ever tell anyone. They were nearby where the entrance of Manberg used to be, a little of to the side. 

“This? This is no bomb. Now, the stage? That’s a bomb. But this?” He gestured to the two pieces of TNT behind him, the white and black labels standing out on the bright red. “This is just a starter. The first explosion of many.” 

“Wilbur-“ Tommy was cut off as Wilbur started talking again. “Tommy, we were kicked out of our country! A place that we had started!” Tommy kept trying to interject but Wilbur just talked over him. That was unusual. Normally, Tommy was the loud one of the pair. “They’re going to pay for what they did! The only time that Schlatt and I can get along is when we’re dead!”

The last phrase caused Wilbur to raise his voice to a shout. His breathing was heavy and his eyes were narrowed, from his shouting and his anger. The younger of the pair sighed and reached out a hand before pulling it back.

“Please, Wilbur. I don’t want to do this. I want to got back to Pogtopia. I want to go back home with you and Techno. Just..” He trailed off for a second before stealing himself. “come with me.”

Wilbur’s face hardened as Tommy spoke. It was unreadable now.

“I want them to pay. I’m sorry, Tommy, but if you’re in my way, you have to go.”

————

Tubbo approached the mic on the stage, trying his best not to shake as he reached it. He wasn’t ready. He would never be ready. But it was now or never.

————

Dream was tense as he stared at up at Tubbo. There was a hand on his shoulder- Sapnap, probably. He thought Dream was still upset about George. Which was true, but there were more important things than being upset.

————

Eret shoved his way through the crowd. He had to get Niki, Tubbo and Fundy out of there. He had to get them out! He had to get them... He had to get... He had to... He had... He...

————

Tommy could feel blood dripping down his face from his nose from where Wilbur had punched him. The older man was crouched across the room from him, his own jaw bruised from Tommy’s counterattack. There was no way Tommy could convince him to stop now. He then noticed something that Wilbur had noticed as well.

————

Wilbur’s eyes were narrowed and locked on the lanky form of his blonde companion. There was a sword on the ground, knocked out someone’s inventory in the chaos. He didn’t know who’s blade it was, but Wilbur did know something. Both of them weren’t going to get out of the fight alive.

————

One.

————

“I’m here, giving this speech, in the honor of Jschlatt and all of Manberg.”

————

Two.

————

“Wilbur! Please!”

————

Three.

————

“I told you, Tommy! If I can’t have L’manberg, no one can!”

————

Four.

————

“Hey, Sapnap? Get Bad and Skeppy. It’s time to go.”

————

Five.

————

“Niki! Fundy! Where are you?”

————

Six.

————

“What about everyone in Manberg! Don’t you care about them?”

————

Seven.

————

“Not anymore.”

————

Eight.

————

“EVERYONE! GET OUT OF HERE! IT’S RIGGED TO BLOW!”

————

Nine.

————

“Then you’re lost.”

————

Ten paces,

————

“I’m sorry.”

————

Fire.

————

A scream rung out, echoing from where the walls used to be to the stage. Everything stilled. Eret in his panicked searching through the crowd and trying to get people to leave. Tubbo in the middle of his speech. Dream and his group as they left. Schlatt on the stage. Everything stopped. Who had screamed?

And then came the sobbing.

They could tell where it was coming from now.

————

Eret pushed his way through the crowd, struggling for a moment before clearing it. He had recognized the voice that had begun sobbing. He had to get to them. His heart was pounding in his ears, blocking out any thing anyone might have said to him. He would be the first to reach the person sobbing. If he was asked later, he would say that it felt like someone had taken a knife of his heart at the sight.

————

Tubbo recognized the voice as well, and the brown haired teenage had taken an impulsive leap off the stage, the crowd clearing out of his path unlike with Eret. His feet hit the ground running as he sprinted in the same direct Eret had gone. He was next to reach the sight. As he saw it, he skidded to a stop, freezing. A wail was ripped out of his mouth as well.

————

Dream heard the screams and cries echoing over the landscape and, for once, the masked man winced. He had been so full of hatred and angry that it justified his manipulations in his mind. And look where it had gotten them. Under the porcelain mask, he closed his eyes and felt a tear slip down his cheek. It was too late.

————

Tommy was kneeling on the ground. It was him that was sobbing, the cries being ripped from his jaws. He was cradling something,- no, someone,- to his chest. His parts of his blonde hair was crimson. It looked like something covered in blood had gotten entangled in it before releasing it and dragging down his cheek to leave a bloody handprint. He didn’t seem to notice it or them as he sobbed and whimpered. He wasn’t keeping up the pretense that he was strong all of the time. His shoulders were obviously shaking from the cries, but apparently he hadn’t just tuned everything out. Tubbo’s wail attracted his attention and he looked up with tearful eyes. His voice quivered as he spoke, trying to explain what happened.

“I-I didn’t wanna hurt him. He was-s act-ting insane.”

They could guess what had happened from there. Tommy had bruises along his neck that spread like a butterfly’s wings. Eret quickly knelt down swept the younger boy into a hug, being careful not to disturb the body in the teen’s lap. “Hey.. hey, Tommy.” He tapped the blonde’s cheek lightly to get his attention. “It’s not your fault. It’s really not your fault.”

Eret could hear other people approaching, could hear Niki’s gasp at the sight of the sobbing, blood covered teen and the corpse that had been cradled to his chest. He could see Fundy out of the corner of his eye, pulling a now silent Tubbo into a hug, as if it could shield the brown haired teen from the death. Jschlatt, stiff and silent, was in his line of sight too. He could feel Tommy hiding his face in his chest, surprisingly. He thought that the teen was still angry about his betrayal. Tears soaked the white shirt, although he didn’t really care about the now bloodstained and snot-covered shirt. He just cared about the shocked, scared and sad boy in his arms, sobbing like his heart had been ripped out.

And in a way, it was. Wilbur and Tommy had been as close as brothers. Tommy was Wil’s right hand man and Wilbur was Tommy’s president. The one that he had looked up to most, even if he didn’t show it often.

After what had happened, Jschlatt stepped down. He stated that he didn’t want a deadman’s spot, but all of them could see the truth. He felt guilty for Wilbur’s mind break and what happen happened to him. But it was too late. Tommy would never be the same.

None of them would.

After all, what was L’manberg without kindhearted and courageous President Soot with loyal TommyInnit at his side?


End file.
